Glacucoma
This disease is a kind of syndrome characterized
by the increase in intraocular pressure. It can be classified into three main
types: primary, secondary and congenital. This section only deals with the acute
congestive glaucoma (angleclousure glaucoma) of the primary type. Clinically,
it is characterized by acute increase in intraocular pressure, mixed congestion
of the eyeball, corneal edema, mydriasis, greenish-blue pupil margin, accompanied
with severe swelling of the eye, headache, nausea and so on. It belongs to the
category of "liufeng neizhang" (green glacucoma) in TCM. When it comes
into the absolute stage, it belong to the category of "huangfeng neizhang"
(absolute glaucoma with cataract) in TCM.
Main Points of Diagnosis
1.
It is manifested as acute swelling of the eye, headache, nausea, diminution of
vision and so on.
2. There is mixed congestion of the eye, corneal edema with
misty opacity, opacity of aqueous humor. The anterior chamber becomes shallow.
The pupil becomes enlarged and loses its normal circular contour, with the presence
of green-blue reflection of light inside the pupil.
3. The eyeball becomes
as hard as stone. The intraocular pressure usually comes up to more than 6 KPa,
even exceeding 10 KPa.
4. If the persistent increase of the intraocular pressure
fails to come down, later on complete blindness results. If the dilated pupil
fails to constrict, if iris becomes discolored and the crystalline lens becomes
yellow or yellowish-white in color, then it turns to the absolute glaucoma.
Differentiation
and Treatment of Common Syndromes
1. Internal Treatment
1) The Type of
Upward Attack of Wind-Phlegm
Main Symptoms and Signs: The eye becomes distended
as if it were to be broken up. The head aches badly as if it were splitting. Other
likely features are nausea, vomiting, mixed congestion of the eyeball, misty corneal
edema, the pupil getting dilated with green colour and the eye becoming as hard
as stone.
Therapeutic Principle: Removing heat from the blood and calming
pathogenic wind, resolving phlegm and improving vision.
Recipe: Decoction
of Imperata Rhizome and Bamboo Juice
imperata rhizome
bamboo juice (divided
into two equal quantities, with one portion added to the decoction each time)
white peony root
scutellaria root
giant typhonium tuber
curcuma
root
coptis root
phellodendron bark
wine-treated rhubarb
batryticated
silkworm
powder of buffalo's horn (to be taken after being infused in boiling
water)
All the above ingredients except bamboo juice and powder of buffalo's
horn are to be decocted in water for oral administration.
2. The Type of Lung-Deficiency
and Liver-Asthenia
Main Symptoms and Signs: distention of the eye and headache
appear and become worse in the afternoon and in the evening. There occurs slightly
mixed congestion of the eyeball, with the color light but dark. There appear milder
corneal edema, mydriasis. The pupil margin looks greenish-blue in color. Intraocular
pressure rises to about 6 KPa and severe diminution of vision results.
Therapeutic
Principle: Tonifying the lung and calming the liver.
Recipe: Modified Prescription
of Mother Nourishing Powder.
ophiopogon root
asparagus root
red tangerine
peel
poria
prepared pinellia tuber
sweet wormwood
trichosanthes root
licorice
root,
wine-treated flavescent sophora root
gentian root
areca seed
dragon's
bone
oyster shell
All the above ingredients are to be decocted in water
for oral administra
Dr. Ming's TCM Medical Center,
Hua Xi Xiao Yuan, Hutian
Developing Area,
Huaihua city, Hunan province
China